Flexible mounting for tractor frames



c. T. BENTON. FLEXIBLE MOUNTING FOR TRACTOR FRAMES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-5,1921.

1 25,687. Patented g- 15, 1922.

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CARL T. PENTON, or nn'riaorr, mgr-Hem FLEXIBLE MOUNTING roia raaoroii rialeivins- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed IVIarch 5, 1921. Serial No. 4%,699.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL T. PENTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit,'in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and use ful Flexible Mounting for Tractor Frames of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tractors and more particularly to means for flexibly mounting the frame of atractor upon an axle thereof.

It is the object of the invention to provide for pivotally mounting the frame of a tractor upon an axle of the vehicle so as to permit said axleto assume such inclinations as may result from an uneven condition of the ground over which the vehicle is traveling without subjecting the frame to a similar inclination, and the invention further contemplates the association with such a mounting of cushioning means to on line 22 of Fig. 1.

shocks and vibrations imparted support the latter upon the former, whereby the axle may tilt without a correspond ng angular movement of the frame and without binding said pin against free vertical movement in said bore. h

A preferred embodiment ofthe invention is hereinafter described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Fig. 1 is an end view of a tractor chassis, showing sectionally the means for mounting the frame on the axle.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the flexible mounting, the section being taken In these views the reference character 1 designates a cross piece at or near an end of'a tractor frame, and Qis an axle upon which said end of the frame is mounted. As shown, said axle has the form of an arch with a bar 2' extended between and secured to its extremities.

The means for mounting the frame comprises a pin 3 having its lower end pivoted as indicated at 4' upon 7 the axle, and slidablyengaging in a vertical bore 5 in the frame member. 1, said pin having Patei ted Aug. 15,1922

a threaded extremity projecting above the 1 frame and engaged by a nut 6 and washer 7, maintaining the described assembly. .The.

lower portion of the bore 5 is counterbored as indicated at 8 to accommodate a coiled spring 9' abutting terminally against the top of the counterbore and against an annular shoulder 10 formedby enlarging the lower portion of said pin. Thus said spring yieldably transmits to the axle the weight of the overlying frame extremity and of the load thereupon. The upper portion of the pin 3 is vertically slotted as indicated at 11, and through said slot there is; passed" a shaft 12 which carries means (not shown) for cranking the engine. The vertical slide bearing 13 of the member 1, in which bearing said pin engages, is apertured as indi} cated at 14 to accommodate the shaft-12 but the apertures 14:' need not have the nature ofslots since said shaft must be mounted upon and move in unison with i the frame.

In the use of the described construction,

when the axle 2 is tilted, due to any unevennessor inclination of the surfaceover which the tractor is. traveling, the frame I 1 is not compelled to assume a corresponding inclination and may remain substantially level, since the pin 8 may swing upon its pivot 4 and thus remain ,vertical.

Responsive to shocks or vibrations the frame 1 rise and fall to a limitedextent upon said pin,.allowing the spring '9 to largely absorb the resulting stresses, and the freedom of this relative movement will be in no way restricted, by tilting of-the axle 2, owing to pivoting'of the pin3 upon said" axle. The problem arising from. p

necessity of locating the axis of the engine cranking shaft 12 inthe vertical plane transversely iLIlClfiGllilIfillY intersect ng theaxle is solved by forming the pin '3 withthe slot 11 to accommodate said shaft. Thus the shaft mayv participate in any .up and down movement of the frame and is guided in such movement by said slot, The con- I struction' is advantageous in maintaining stable equilibrium of a tractor while-travelg 0 thermore tends'to safeguardthe mechanism f v ing over'a'rough or hilly. surface, and furvcarried by the tractor frame against damage or deterioration as the result of shocks and vibration.

What I claim is: i y

In, a tractor, the combination .With the frame thereof and an axle supporting an end of the frame, of a vertically slotted pin slidably engaging the frame and piv- In testimony whereof I sign this specifie v cation.

CARL T. PENTON. 

